Brush making machine



Filed Aug. 24, 1965 Nov. 28, 1967 H. ZAHORANSKY 3,355,216

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 28, 1967 H. ZAHORANSKY 7 3,355,216

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 24, 1965 IN V E N T 0/? v HIE/NZ ZAHORA/VJ/O /7/ls ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1967 H. ZAHORANSKY BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Aug. 24, 1965 5y MM Nov. 28, 1967 H. ZAHORANSKY 3,355,216

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Hg, 6 h) 2137 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 24, 1965 Fig. 7

INVEN TOR.

HE INZ ZAHORA NJ h/s A TTORNEY United States Patent 3,355,216 BRUSH MAKING MACHINE" Heinz Zahoransky, Todtnau', Black Forest, Germany, as-

signor to Anton Zahoransky, Todtnau, Black Forest, Germany v Filed Aug-24, 1965, Ser. No. 482,064) Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 24, 1964,

Z 11,047 15 Claims. ((11. 300-3) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A brush making machine wherein a rotary carrier for back supports rotates about a horizontal axis and is movable toward and away from the filling means. The boring means is movable transversely of the axis of the carrier and is disposed at right angles to the filling means at a level above the carrier.

The present invention relates to brush making machines in general, and more particularly to improvements in that part of a brush making machine which is used to insert individual bristles or tufts of bristles into bores drilled in exposed outer faces of back supports- Such brush making machines normally comprise an indexabl'e rotary carrier on which the back supports are mounted during boring, during insertion (filling) of bristles and, if necessary, during trimming of inserted bristles.

A serious drawback of presently known brush making machines is that the back supports must be mounted on a relatively large rotary carrier because the boring station is located directly opposite the filling or inserting station. The filling station by necessity follows the inserting station, i.e., there are no stations therebetween, so that onehalf of the periphery of. the carrier remains unused and all of the remaining stations must be crowded into a Zone extending along the other half of the carrier, namely, downstream of the filling station but upsream of the boring station. Such additional stations accommodate instrumentalities which feed fresh brush bodies or back supports, devices which trim and' clean the bristles on back supports, devices which eject, collect and transport finished brushes, and others. In order to accommodate all such instrumentalities and devices at one side of the carrier, the latter must have a large diameter so that certain stations will be hard to reach and the machine occupies too much space which is undesirable not only in a factory but also in transportation of such machines. Furthermore, and if the diameter of the carrier is relatively large, the space therebelow cannot accommodate a station because this would result in a further increase in the overall height of the machine.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a very compact brush making machine wherein the various stations surrounding the rotary carrier for the brush bodies or back supports are distributed in a novel and space-saving manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the just outlined characteristics which, though especially suited for' the production and assembly of relatively large brushes (such as clothes, shoe, hair, laundry and similar brushes, or brooms), is equally suited for mass production and mass assembly of smaller brushes and can be rapidly converted for the production of differently configurated and/ or dimensioned brushes or similar cleaning implements wherein individual bristles or tufts of bristles are inserted into holes or bores drilled in back supports.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brush making machine wherein the positions of the boring and filling stations are selected in a novel way and which can ice bined depth compensating drive for the boring and filling.

stations of a brush making machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide separate depth compensating drives for the boring and filling stations ofa brush making machine.

A further'object of the invention is to provide afully automatic brush-makingmachine whose operation may be controlled by a single person and which requires so little attention that the same person may supervise the operation of one or more additional machines.

Briefly stated, one feature of my present invention resides in the provision of a machine for producing brushes of the type wherein the bristles are not integral with the back support, i.e.,v wherein individual bristles or tufts of bristles are embedded in an exposedface of the back support.- In its simplest form, the machine comprises an indexable carrier which is rotatable about a fixed axis and comprises angularly spaced holders or grippers for back supports, a first station adjacent to the carrier and comprising means for drilling holes in the back support, and a second station angularly spaced from and located downstream of the first station and comprising means for introducing. bristles into the holes drilled at the first station. The angular distance between the first and second stations is less than 180 degrees, preferably about degrees, so that two or more additional stations may be readily accomodated between the second station and the first station. Such additional stations may include a trimming station, a cleaning station, acombined trimming and cleaning station, an ejecting station, and a feeding station.

When the carrier is rotatable about a horizontal axis, the first station may be located directly above the carrier (twelve oclock position) and the second station may be located in a three oclock position. The trimming station may belocated directly below the carrier, and the feeding station may be placed in a nine oclock position.

-The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved brush making machine itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodi- IIlfil'llS- with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of a rotary carrier forming part of a brush making machine which is constructed and assembled in accordance with a first embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar diagrammatic front elevational view of a brush making machine which embodies the carrier of FIG. 1.;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic front elevational view of a modified brush making machine which also embodies a carrier of the type shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through a brush making machine which is similar to the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2, the section being taken in the direction of arrows substantially as seen from the line IVIV of FIG. 5;

FIG. is a vertical section substantially as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section, similar to the section of FIG. 4, through a machine which resembles the brush making machine of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section through a machine which is similar to the brush making machine of FIG. 5 but can accommodate twice the number of back supports; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the machine shown in FIG. 4 substantially as seen in the direction of the arrow VIII.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a machine for producing brushes of the type wherein individual bristles or tufts 6a of bristles are inserted into holes or bores 60 drilled in brush bodies or back supports 6, which normally consist of wood or plastic. The machine comprises an indexable carrier 1, hereinafter called drum or clamping drum, which is rotatable with a horizontal indexing shaft 2 and is provided with four angularly spaced equidistant holders 3 for the back supports 6. Each back sup port is curved longitudinally and transversely, i.e., its convex outer face 5 resembles a portion of a sphere. Therefore, and in order to insure that the tufts 6a may be inserted in each zone of such convex surface 5, each holder 3 is turnable about a pair of coaxial shafts 4 whose axes are normal to the axis of the shaft 2 and are located in the plane of FIG. 1.

The centers of curvature of the exposed outer faces 5 are not always located on the axis of the shaft 2; therefore, the machine must be provided with means for depth compensation, i.e., for positioning the back supports 6 in such a way that the bores or holes 6c to be drilled therein will extend exactly radially with reference to such outer faces. In FIG. 1, the extent of necessary depth compensation can be observed by comparing the curvature of the outer face 5 of the right-hand back support 6 with a broken line 7 whose center of curvature is located on the axis of the shaft 2. The manner in which the depth compensation is carried out will be described in detail in connection with FIGS. 4 to 8. It sufiices to say here that the machine comprises means for drilling in the outer faces 5 bores 60 in such a way that the axis of each bore extends through the center of curvature of the respective outer face. As a rule, the depth compensation is carried out by resorting to templates or patterns.

FIG. 1 further shows a boring or drilling station 9 which is located at a level directly above the drum 1. A bristle inserting or filling station 8 is located in a three oclock position and downstream of the boring station 9, as seen in the direction in which the drum 1 rotates. In other words, the drum 1 rotates in a clockwise direction and the angular distance between the stations 9 and 8 is less than 180 degrees. This enables the designer to install one or more additional stations in the space located downstream of the filling station 8 but upstream of the boring station 9. In conventional brush making machines which are known to me at this time, the stations 9 and 8 are located diametrically opposite each other so that, and since the filling station 8 must follow the boring station 9, there remains only an area extending along an arc of 180 degrees to accommodate two or more additional stations. In my improved machine, such additional stations may be accommodated in a space or area extending through full 270 degrees because the angular distance between the stations 9 and 8 is only 90 degrees.

The depth compensating movement for the filling station 8 is effected by a horizontal reciprocating movement of the drum 1 or by a horizontal reciprocating movement of a support 10 which carries the drum. Such movement is indicated in FIG. 2 by a double-headed arrow 11. The support 10 also carries the boring station 9 so that the latter shares the depth compensating movement for the filling station 8 by carrying out a movement indicated in FIG. 2 by a double-headed arrow 12. An additional depth compensating drive at the boring station. 9 se ve to bri about vertical adjusting movement of a boring tool 13 as indicated by a double-headed arrow 14.

FIG. 2 further shows a feeding station 15 accommodating a feeding device which supplies fresh back supports 6 and which is mounted in a nine oclock position, i.e., the boring station is located substantially midway between the filling station 8 and the feeding station 15. An ejecting station 20 including an ejecting or withdrawing device for finished brushes is located directly upstream of the feeding station 15, and a combined trimming and cleaning station 18 is located directly below the drum 1 (i.e., opposite the boring station 9). The ejecting station 20 may accommodate a chute or a travelling conveyor which advances finished brushes to a further processing station, e.g., to storage or to a packing machine, not shown. The arrow 16 indicates a space which may accommodate still another station at which the brushes are treated prior to reaching the ejecting station 20. For example, the station 18 may accommodate only a trimming device and the space indicated by the arrow 16 may accommodate a cleaning device. The device shown at the station 18 serves to equalize the length of inserted bristles and to thereupon collect and remove the material which is clipped off the brush. This combined trimming and cleaning station 18 is reciprocable with the support 10 in directions indicated by a double-headed arrow 19. As a rule, the height of the station 18 is rather low so that the drum 1 may be mounted close to the floor and an operator standing in front of the machine can reach each of the various stations which surround the drum.

FIG. 2 further shows that the boring and filling stations 9 and 8 are provided with separate drives for depth compensation. The depth compensation for the filling station 8 is effected by the support 10 and drum 1, and an additional compensating movement is superimposed on the boring station 9 which participates in horizontal movements of the support 10.

It is to be noted that the device mounted at the trimming and cleaning station 18 of FIG. 2 can trim the tufts 6a in such a way that the length of each bristle is the same. This can be achieved by swinging the back supports 6 and their holders 3 about the axes of the shafts 4. If no such swinging movement takes place, the length of bristles will differ from zone to zone of the respective outer face 5. It is also possible to move the trimming device at the station 18 in directions other than those indicated by the double-headed arrow 19 if the length of the bristles should vary in a different way.

The depth compensating drive for the filling station 8 includes a driven template or cam 21 which is tracked by a roller follower 22a provided at one end of a motion transmitting link 22 which is coupled to the support 10 and is guided in bearings 22b. Suitable resilient means or biasing means are provided for maintaining the follower 22a in contact with the periphery of the cam 21.

A bell crank lever 24 (indicated by phantom lines) is coupled to the link 22 and is rockable at 23 to transmit to the boring station 9 a compensatory movement in synchronism with movements of the support 10. The two movements are equal if the two arms of the lever 24 have the same length.

Alternatively, the boring station 9 may be provided with a depth compensating drive 25 of its own. Such independent drive 25 may comprise a driven template or cam 26 which is tracked by a follower 2.7a provided at one end of a two-armed lever 27 which is fulcrumed at 27b and is coupled to the boring tool 13 so that the latter is compelled to move up and down in response to turning of the lever 27. The cam 26 and the lever 27 reciprocate with the support 10.

FIG. 3 is illustrates a slightly modified brush making machine whose drum 1 is surrounded by a feeding station 15 accommodating a feeding device for back supports 6, a boring station 9, a filling station 8, and an ejecting station 20a including an endless take-off conveyor belt 17.

The stations 8 and 15 are located diametrically opposite each other and the station 9 is located midway between these stations and directly opposite the station 20a. The belt 1'7 is fiat so that the station 20a occupies little room and allows for mounting of the drum 1 and at a level close to the floor.

It is clear that the drums 1 of the machines shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 may be arranged to rotate about vertical axes. Each of the various stations may treat two or more brushes at a time. For example, the boring station 9 may accommodate two or more boring tools 13 each of which drills bores in a separate back support 6, and the station 8 may accommodate an equal number of filling or inserting tools. This will be explained in greater detail in connection with FIG. 7.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate in greater detail a brush making machine 1000 which resembles the machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The machine 1000 comprises a carrier or drum 1010 which is rotatable with a horizontal indexing shaft 1020 driven by an indexing gear 1020A, and the carrier 1010 is provided with four equidistant holders 1030. Each holder 1030 comprises a composite base 1031 for two or more sets of releasable clamping or gripping devices 1032., 1033 adapted to grip the back supports 1060 in requisite position for drilling, filling, trimming and other operations. The clamping devices 1032 at one side of each base 1031 are movable with reference to the clamping devices 1033 at the other side of the respective base 1031, or vice versa, so that such movable clamping devices may be shifted to gripping and releasing positions in order to grasp a freshly admitted back support 1060 and to hold it during intermittent travel past the various stations, and to release the finished brush at an ejecting station 1200. As ShOWn in FIG. 5, the clamping devices 1032, 1033 are disposed in pairs and the clamping devices 1033 are movable toward and away from the clamping devices 1032. Each half of each composite base 1031 resembles an L-shaped bracket having a radially inwardly extending leg 1034 swingable back and forth to thereby change the inclination of the back support 1060 with'reference to the carrier 1010. The legs 1034 are pivotable on radially extending arms 1011 of the carrier 1010, and each such leg is provided with several holes 1035 so that its effective radius may be changed in dependency on the convexity of the exposed outer face 1050 on the respective back support 1060. One hole 1035 of each leg 1034 receives a stub shaft 1040 which is mounted on the respective radial arm 1011 of the carrier 1010 and constitutes a pivot for the respective L-shaped bracket. By inserting the stub shafts 1040 in a different set of holes 1035, the operator may change the radial distance from such stub shafts to the exposed outer faces 1050 of the back supports 1060. This is best shown in FIG. 5.

The inner ends of the legs 1034 are coupled to links 1036 which are reciprocable in the axial direction of the carrier 1010 and which constitute followers arranged to track a disk-shaped pattern or template 1037, see FIG. 5. The pattern 1037 is rotatable on the shaft 1020 and may be driven by a sprocket wheel 1038. By suitable configuration of the pattern 1037, the designer insures that the links 1036 and legs 1034 impart to the back supports 1060 requisite swinging movements about the stub shafts 1040 to thereby insure that the tufts 1061 of bristles will extend radially with reference to the exposed outer faces 1050 of the back supports 1060. The bases 1031 share such swinging movements of the back supports.

The depth compensation in the circumferential direction of the carrier 1010 can be effected by indexing the carrier 1010 and simultaneously moving the carrier with reference to the boring and filling station 1090, 1080 or vice versa. Such depth compensation is necessary whenever the centers of curvature of the exposed outer faces 1050 on the back supports 1060 are not located on the axis of the shaft 1020.

The filling station 1080 is mounted on a frame memher 1331 which is rigid with the remainder of the machine frame 1330. This station 1080 includes a magazine 1081 which contains a supply of suitably arrayed bristles 1082, and a transfer member 1083 which is swingable between a receiving position in which it can withdraw a tuft 1061 of bristles from the magazine 1081 and a delivering position in which it places such tufts into a filling or inserting tool 1084. The filling tool 1084 performs strokes of constant length and inserts the tufts 1061 into holes 1060c drilled by the boring tool 1130'. The strokes of the filling tool 1084 may be adjusted. The exact construction of the parts which are accommodated at the filling station 1080 forms no part of my present invention.

The extent of necessary depth compensation can be seen by comparing the curvature of the exposed outer face 1050 on the right hand back support 1060 of FIG. 4 with the curvature of a brooken-line are 1070. The center of curvature of the are 1070 is located on the axis of the shaft 1020.

The boring station 1090 is located upstream of the filling station 1080 and these two stations again make with each other an angle of less than 180 degrees, preferably degrees. The station 1090 accommodates a vertically extending guide 1131 for a spindle or tool holder 1032 which carries the boring tool 1130. The spindle 1132 can be reciprocated up and down by means of a link train including a rod 1133 shown at the top of FIG. 4.. The station 1090 further accommodates an electric motor 1091 which drives an endless belt for the spindle 1132. The belt is surrounded by a protective screen or shield 1092.. The motor 1091 and the carriage 1093 for the guide 1131 are mounted on a vertically adjustable slide 1094 which is mounted in vertical Ways 1095 provided on an upward extension of the support 1100. The arrow 14 indicates the directions in which the slide 1094 may move with reference to the ways 1095.

The feeding station 1150 is located diametrically opposite the filling station 1080 and upstream of the boring station 1090. The station 1150 accommodates four L- shaped profiled guide bars 1151 of which only two are shown in FIG. 4. These bars 1151 guide the respective corner portions of fresh back supports 1060 so that the back supports are held in substantial parallelism with each other. The end faces 1062 of the foremost back support 1060 between the guide bars 1151 abut against two stop pins 1152 which constitute the armatures of two relays and which are withdrawn at predetermined intervals to allow for further advance of the foremost back support into engagement with the clamping devices 1032, 1033 on the adjoining holder 1030. One of the two relays 1153 for the pins 1152 is shown in FIG. 8. Each of these relays 1153 is mounted on a horizontally extending connecting web 1154 one of which shown in FIG. 8 as extending between the lower guide bars 1151. When the circuit of the relays 1153 is completed, the pins 1152 are withdrawn from the end faces 1062 so that the foremost back support 1060 may advance toward the periphery of the carrier 1010. Such movement of the foremost back support 1060 may take place by gravity if the guide bars 1051 are sufficiently inclined to bring about automatic gravity feed of back supports. In a semiautomatic brush making machine, the back supports 1060 may be inserted by hand.

The machine 1000 of FIGS. 4 and 5 further comprises a trimming station 1180 which is located directly below the carrier 1010, i.e., diametrically opposite the boring station 1090. The station 1180 accommodates a housing or casing 1181 which contains a rotary knife or cutter 1182 driven by an electric motor 1183 which is attached to and is located externally of the housing 1181, see FIG. 5. The top portion of the housing 1181 is formed with a cutout or aperture toward or through which a portion of the revolving knife 1182 extends so as to be located in the path of the tufts 1061. The edge portion 1184 adjacent to the cutout in the housing 1181 serves as a counterknife and cooperates with the knife 1182 to trim the bristles in response to indexing of the carrier 1010. The housing 1181 is mounted on an adjustable plate 1185 and is reciprocable therewith in directions indicated by the arrow 19. The plate 1185 may further accommodate a cleaning device which is not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The bottom wall 1186 of the housing 1181 is provided with two parallel dovetailed rails 1187 which extend into cornplementary grooves provided in the top face of the plate 1185. The rails 1187 enable the housing 1181 to move with reference to the plate 1185 in directions indicated by the arrow 19, i.e., longitudinally of that back support 1060 which is located at the trimming station 1180. The number 1162 denotes in FIG. 4 the bristles of a finished brush. While FIG. 5 shows that the axial length of the revolving knife 1182 equals or exceeds the width of the finished brush, the axial length of this knife may be much less because the back supports 1060 are swung about the stub shafts 1040 and such swinging movements sufiice to bring all tufts 1061 in contact with the knife.

The plate 1185 is reciprocable up and down and is mounted in vertical guides 1188 best shown in FIG. 4. Manually turnable lock screws 1189 are provided to fix the plate 1185 in selected position with reference to such guides 1188. However, it is also possible to couple the plate 1185 with the slide 1099 at the boring station 1090 so that the housing 1181 may be moved up and down in synchronisrn with the boring tool 1130. For example, the slide 1094 of the boring device may be coupled to the plate 1085 by means of a link train or by an analogous motion transmitting connection which will be described iater. This enables the knife 1182 to share all such movements of the boring tool 1130 which are needed for proper depth compensation. Of course, the motion transmitting connection between the slide 1094 and plate 1185 must be such that it can be readily interrupted if the boring tool 1130 is to be adjusted independently of the knife 1182 or vice versa.

The ejecting station 1200 is located downstream of the trimming station 1180 but upstream of the feeding station 1150 and comprises an inclined chute 1201, for example, a sheet metal plate which is fixed to the machine frame 1330 and serves to convey finished brushes to a further destination. The clamping devices 1033 open automatically at the station 1200 and close again at the station 1150 to respectively release a finished brush and to clamp a fresh back support 1060 in response to withdrawal of the stop pins 1152.

The depth compensating drive for the stations 1080 and 1090 comprises a single driven template or cam 1210 which rotates in a clockwise direction. The peripheral face of the cam 1210 is tracked by a follower 1220A pro vided at one end of a link 1220 which is coupled to the support 1100 and is guided in bearings 1221. A median portion of the link 1220 is articulately coupled to a bell crank lever 1241 which is rockable about a pivot 1231 and is articulately coupled to a further lever 1243 rockable about a pivot 1242. The left-hand end of the lever 1243 (as viewed in FIG. 4) is coupled to a rod 1244 which is turnable and reciprocable with reference to a pivot 1244A on the support 1100 and serves to rock a two-armed lever 1245 which is fulcrumed at 1245A and reciprocates a vertical or nearly vertical link 1246 coupled to the slide 1004. The arrows 1247 indicate the directions in which the various elements of the just described motion transmitting connection between the cam 1210 and the slide 1094 move in order to bring about a depth compensation for the boring station 1080. If the cam 1210 rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, and the spring 1222 moves the link 1220 in a direction to the right, the bell crank lever 1241 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction to rock the lever 1243 in a clockwise direction. This causes the rod 1244 to move upwardly and to rock the lever 1245 in a clockwise direction so that the link 1246 moves downwardly and advances the boring tool 1130 toward the shaft 1020. By suitable selection of components which constitute the connection between the cam 1210 and the slide 1094, the depth compensation for the station 1090 is properly related to the depth compensation for the station 1080, i.e., the movement of the boring tool 1130 in a direction toward the axis of the shaft 1020 is synchronized with movement of the carrier 1010 toward the filling tool 1084. The slots 1248 shown in the levers 1241 and 1243 allow for movements of the support 1100 in response to reciprocation of the link 1220 under or against the bias of the spring 1222.

As mentioned hereinabove, the housing 1181 at the trimming station 1180 may be coupled with the slide 1094. This can be achieved by coupling the housing 113 1 with one of the motion transmitting members 1241, 1243, 1244. This housing is provided with a suction duct 1181a which evacuates trimmed-off fragments of the tufts 1061.

The numeral 1160 denotes a space which can accommodate a further treating station, for example, a cleaning station.

Of course, the machine 1000 of FIGS. 4 and 5 also comprises a control system (not shown) which causes the movable parts to operate in a predetermined sequence, i.e., which rotates the gear 1020A and the sprocket wheel 1038, which causes the cam 1210 to rotate at requisite speed, which energizes the relays 1153, which opens and closes the clamping devices 1032, 1033, which swings the transfer vmember 1083, which controls movements of the rod 1133, and which regulates all other movements which are needed to insure that the operation of the machine is fully automatic.

The brush making machine 2000 of FIG. 6 resembles the machine of FIG. 3. The previously described component parts of this machine are identified by numerals used in FIGS. 4 and 5, but each such numeral is preceded by a digit 2 instead of l. The carrier 2010 is surrounded by a series of stations including a boring station 2090 (in twelve oclock position), a filling station 2080 (in three oclock position), an ejecting station 2170 (in six oclock position) and a feeding station 2150 (in nine oclock position). The station 2170 is one of very small height so that the carrier 2010 may be installed close to the floor. This station 2170 accommodates an endless take-off conveyor belt 2171 which is trained around rollers 2172 (only one shown) and whose upper stringer advances in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. 6 (see the arrow 2173). When the clamping devices 2033 release a finished brush, the article drops onto the upper stringer of the belt 2171 and is automatically advanced to the next station, for example, to storage or to a packing station.

The machine 2000 of FIG. 6 comprises separate depth compensating drives for the stations 2080 and 2090. A driven template or cam 2210 is tracked by a roller follower 2223 which is mounted at one end of a link 2220 coupled to the support 2100. The link 2220 is reciprocable in fixed bearings 2221 and the support 2100 is biased by a strong spring 2222 which serves to keep the follower 2223 in engagement with the peripheral face of the cam 2210. The support 2100 is provided with wheels 2101 which travel in grooves 2102 provided in the floor or in the bottom plate of the machine frame 2330. It is clear that the support 2100 may be constructed in the form of a slide which is guided in ways provided in the floor so that such slide replaces the wheels 2101. The cam 2210 imparts to the support 2100 and carrier 2010 such movements which are needed for depth compensation at the filling station 2080. The boring station 2090 is mounted on an upward extension of the support 2100 and is compelled to share all such movements which are initiated by the cam 2210, see the arrow 12.

The depth compensating drive 2250 for the boring tool 2130 comprises a driven template or cam 2260 whose periphery is tracked by a roller follower 2270A provided at one end of a two-armed lever 2270 which is fulcrumed at 2273. The cam 2260 is rotatable about a fixed axis degt fined by a shaft 2260A which is secured to a stationary frame member 2331. The left-hand arm of the lever 2270 is coupled to the slide 2094 by a pin 2276 which extends into an elongated slot 2271 of the lever. The length of the slot 2271 is such that the support 2100 canmove in response to rotation of the cam 2210.

If the designer wishes to avoid any changes in the distance between the fulcrum 2273 for the lever 2270 and the pin 2272 on the slide 2094, the cam 2260 can be mounted directly on the support 2100. In such construction, the configuration of the face on the cam 2260- must be selected solely with a view to bring about such movements of the slide 2094 which are needed to effect depth compensation for the boring tool 2130', i.e., the designer of the cam 2260 need not be concerned with the fact that the support 2100 moves back and forth in response to rotation of the cam 2210.

The guide bars 2151 at the feeding station .2150 are supported by horizontal beams 2155.

Referring finally to FIG. 7, there is shown a portion of a further brush making machine 1000' wherein each of the various stations may accommodate two back supports 1060, 1050a at a time. The numerals used in FIG. 7 are identical with or analogous to those used in FIGS. 4 and 5, but each thereof is followed by a prime. The shaft 1020- supports two indexable carriers 1010" and 10100 and the numerals denoting parts mounted on or cooperating with the carrier 1010a are identical with those identifying the parts mounted on or cooperating with the carrier 1010* but each thereof is followed by the letter a. The housing 1181. at the trimming station 1180' accommodates a long rotary knife 1132' which can trim two brushes at a time. The links 1036 are coupled with the legs 1034' and 1034a.

The machine of my invention may be provided with one or more boring tools and one or more filling tools. The number of filling and boring tools need not be the same; for example, the machine of FIG. 4 may be provided with a single boring tool 1130 and with two filling tools 1084. The machine is further provided with means for stopping the operation if the magazine for back supports is empty, if the feeding station receives a badly shaped or otherwise defective back support, if a holder fails to properly grip a back support or in response to detection of additional defects or defective operations.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for producing brushes of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in one face of a back support, indexable carrier means rotatable about a predetermined axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a first station adjacent to said carrier means and comprising means for drilling holes into the back supports substantially at right angles to said axis; a second station located downstream of said first station and comprising filling means for introducing bristles into the holes drilled at said first station substantially at right angles to said axis; and means for moving said carrier means toward and away from said filling means.

2. In a machine for producing brushes of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in one face of a back support, indexable carrier means rotatable about a predetermined axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a first station adjacent to said carrier means and comprising means f r drilling holes into the protected by back supports substantially at right angles to said axis; a second station located downstream of said first station and comprising filling means for introducing bristles into the holes drilled at said first station substantially at right angles to said axis, the angular distance between said first and second stations being substantially degrees; means for moving said carrier means toward and away from said filling means substantially at right angles to said axis; and means for moving said first station transversely of said axis.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said axis is horizontal and said first station is located at a level above said carrier means, said second station being located in a three oclock position.

4. In a machine for producing brushes and similar implements of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in one face of a back support, indexable carrier means rotatable about a horizontal axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a boring station located at a level above said carrier means and comprising means for drilling holes in the faces of back supports in said holders; a filling station located downstream of said boring station at one side of said carrier means and comprising means for inserting bristles into holes drilled at said boring station; a feeding station located downstream of said filling station at the other side of said carrier means and comprising means for delivering fresh back supports to consecutive holders on said carrier means; and an ejecting station located between said filling and feeding stations for receiving finished brushes from consecutive holders.

5. In a machine for producing brushes and similar implements of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in one face of a back suppport, indexable carrier means rotatable about a horizontal axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a boring station located at a level above said carrier means and comprising means for drilling holes in the faces of back supports in said holders; a filling station located downstream of said boring station at one side of said carrier means and comprising means for inserting bristles into holes drilled at said boring station; a feeding station located downstream of said filling station at the other side of said carrier means and comprising means for delivering fresh back supports to consecutive holders on said carrier means; and an additional station located between said filling and feeding stations, said additional station comprising means for receiving finished brushes from consecutive holders.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 5, further comprising another additional station including means for trimming the bristles which are inserted at said filling station, said last mentioned station being located upstream of said receiving means.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 5, furthercomprising another additional station including means for cleaning the bristles which are inserted at said filling station, said last mentioned station being located upstream of said receiving means.

8. In a machine for producing brushes of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in one face of a back support, indexable carrier means rotatable about a predetermined axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a first station adjacent to said carrier means and comprising means for drilling holes into the back supports; a second station located downstream of said first station and comprising filling means for introducing bristles into the holes drilled at said first station, the angular distance between said first and second stations being less than degrees; at least a third and a fourth station located between said first and second stations downstream of said second station, said third station comprising means for receiving finished brushes from consecutive holders and said fourth station comprising means for feeding fresh back supports to consecutive holders, said fourth station being located immediately upstream of said first station; andmeans for moving said carrier means toward and away from said filling means.

9. In a machine for producing brushes and similar implements of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in the convex face of a back support, indexable carrier means rotatable about a predetermined axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports ;a first station adjacent to said carrier means and comprising means for drilling holes in the faces of consecutive back supports; a second station located downstream of said first station and comprising means for inserting bristles into holes drilled at said first station, the angular distance between said stations being less than 180 degrees; means for moving said carrier means with reference to one of said stations; and means for moving the other of said stations with reference to said carrier means.

10. In a machine for producing brushes and similar implements of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in the convex face of a back support, indexable carrier means rotatable about a predetermined axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a first station adjacent to said carrier means and comprising means for drilling holes in the faces of consecutive back supports; a spaced station located downstream of said first station and comprising means for inserting bristles into holes drilled at said first station, the angular distance between said stations being less than 180 degrees; first depth compensating means including a drive for moving said carrier means and one of said stations at right angles with reference to said axis in directions toward and away from the other of said stations; and second depth compensating means including a drive for moving said one station at right angles to said axis in directions toward and away from said carrier means.

11. A structure as set forth in claim 10, wherein said one station is said first station and wherein the angular distance between said stations is substantially 90 degrees.

12. In a machine for producing brushes and similar implements of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in the convex face of a back support, indexible carrier means rotatable about a predetermined axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a first station adjacent to said carrier means and comprising means for drilling holes in the faces of consecutive back supports; a second station located downstream of said first station and comprising means for inserting bristles into holes drilled at said first station, the angular distance between said stations 'being less than 180 degrees; and depth compensating means including means for moving said carrier means and one of said stations at right angles to said axis toward and away from the other of said stations, and means for moving said one station at right angles to said axis toward and away from said carrier means, said moving means including a single driven cam and motion transmitting means operatively connecting said cam with said carrier means and with said one station.

13. In a machine for producing brushes and similar implements of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in the convex face of a back support, indexable carrier means rotatable about a predetermined axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a first station adjacent to said carirer means and comprising means for drilling holes in the faces of consecutive back supports; a second station located downstream of said first station and comprising means for inserting bristles into holes drilled at said first station, the angular distance between said stations being less than 180 degrees; a common support for said carrier means and one of said stations; and depth compensating means including means for moving said carrier means and said one station at right angles to said axis toward and away from the other of said stations, and means for moving said one station at right angles to said axis toward and away from said carrier means, said moving means comprising a first driven cam, a second driven cam, a first link train operatively connecting said first cam with said support for moving the same toward and away from said other station, and a second link train operatively connecting said second cam with said one station, said one station being movable with reference to said support in directions toward and away from said carrier means.

14. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein the angular distance between said first and second stations is exactly degrees.

15. In a machine for producing brushes and similar implements of the type wherein the bristles are embedded in the convex face of a back support, indexable carrier means rotatable about a predetermined axis and comprising angularly spaced holders for back supports; a first station adjacent to said carrier means and comprising means for drilling holes in the faces of consecutive back supports; a second station located downstream of said first station and comprising means for inserting bristles into holes drilled at said first station, the angular distance between said stations being less than degrees; depth compensating means including means for moving said carrier means and one of said stations as a unit in directions toward and away from the other of said stations, and means for moving said one station in directions toward and away from said carrier means; and at least a third station located between said first and second stations downstream of said second station, said third station comprising means for feeding fresh back supports to consecutive holders and being located immediately upstream of said first station.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,125,189 1/1915 Schwartz 300-3 1,240,516 9/1917 Tucker et al. 3003 1,913,863 6/1933 Terhune 3003 GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR PRODUCING BRUSHES OF THE TYPE WHEREIN THE BRISTLES ARE EMBEDDED IN ONE FACE OF A BACK SUPPORT, INDEXABLE CARRIER MEANS ROTATABLE ABOUT A PREDETERMINED AXIS AND COMPRISING ANGULARLY SPACED HOLDERS FOR BACK SUPPORTS; A FIRST STATION ADJACENT TO SAID CARRIER MEANS AND COMPRISING MEANS FOR DRILLING HOLES INTO THE BACK SUPPORTS SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID AXIS; A SECOND STATION LOCATED DOWNSTREAM OF SAID FIRST 